


The Succubus's Tale

by ThoughtfulPigeon



Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Anal Sex, F/M, Light Bondage, Love, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Peril, Rape/Non-con Elements, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 12:55:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11418417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoughtfulPigeon/pseuds/ThoughtfulPigeon
Summary: A Succubus chooses Tom, and finds more than she intended.





	1. Sleep My Angel

I have whispered wantonness into your sleeping ears these past weeks, and now you dream of me alone. I am but a dream Thomas, my sweet Angel; no need to wake.

Sleep; sleep and I will speak desire into your ear, kiss your lips, your neck, trace the contours of your exquisite profile with my fingers. I hunger for you as for no other before you. Your desire will strengthen me, your release nourish me. We will know such pleasure, Angel.

I trace the constellations in the freckles on your beautiful body, with fingers and with tongue. I rest against the rise and fall of your chest, playing with the beautiful sprinkling of curling hairs there. My lips brush your chest, closing on your hardened nipples, my tongue teasing them as you moan in your sleep. Your squirming delights me, your gasps fill my body with the delicious energy of desire. My hands drift across your body, taking pleasure in the feel of your muscles as you twitch beneath my touch. My tongue moves down your abdomen, tracing the irresistible path of hair from your navel downwards.

As I tease your sleeping body your hunger betrays you, my Angel, and desire's tears drip from your awakening member. Oh let me taste those tears, clear and shining and sweet as honey. I take you deep into my mouth, and my voice is silenced. As I suck you my hands stroke your beautifully muscled thighs, your long legs. I revel in your shuddering response to my nails dragging over the sensitive nerve paths of your sides and hips. My body responds to your moaning, as even in your sleep your hips rise to meet my lips, pushing you deeper and deeper into my eager mouth. I too drip with desire for you, my body tingling with need, almost desperate to feel you inside me.

Ah, but my Angel, let us not be so hurried. Much as I want to feel your fire in my mouth, I release your burning, pulsing, throbbing cock moments before it can blaze forth. I play with your delightful body again while I let you cool just a little, keeping you at that point between desire and release, watching your beautiful, expressive face as it mirrors the burning within you.

How I long to be able to stare into your waking, perfect eyes as you come. That is a reward I will reap later, though. For now, I am a dream to you - one that will give you pleasure to recall.

Now I straddle you, and your sleeping body responds so effortlessly, so naturally, that I know I have chosen well. You shudder and moan in your sleep as your throbbing length slides deep into my wetness and I marvel at your size. It is so rare that a human gives me so much pleasure. Ah you are such a prize, my Angel.

Again and again you pierce me, throbbing and growing ever harder. The fire of you delights my senses, and I feel myself begin to peak with you. I slow my rise and fall. I want your power at its most potent, that I may become stronger. So many lives of men have I done this, so many men have fed me their energy, but rarely have I found it so hard to delay - I find myself wishing I could wake you, allow you to throw me down and fuck me until I scream your name, as one day soon you will scream mine.

I feel your body begin to tense and tremble beneath me, as I tense. Your cock begins to throb and pulse and my cunt responds in kind. I thrust down upon you, taking you deeper and deeper into me, the curve of you rubbing against my aching clit. Oh my Angel, give me your fire! Give me the life force I crave! Even in your sleep you cry out as you come deep inside me, shuddering and bucking beneath me. I find myself responding as never before, swollen, dripping, with waves of intense pleasure transporting me so that I am unable to think or speak or do anything but jerk and shudder with you. Our orgasm lasts an eternity, and even as we come I feel the power growing within me.

I drop forward to rest my head on your breast, listening while the thunder in your heart subsides. When you are still and sleeping quietly again, I find myself longing to hold you as a lover, but that is not my purpose. Not yet. The time will come when I am whole, and you are completely mine, and I may wake you to participate fully and willingly. But for now I need to leave you and process the energy you have given me. I briefly wrap my arms around you while I listen to your heart beat. Then I am forced to leave.

My lips once more brush yours and I reluctantly whisper words of unbinding in you ear. When you wake, you will not remember me as other than a delicious dream. Tomorrow night I will come to you again, and again the nights after that.

In time I will gain enough energy from your orgasms to become more than a dream to you, and soon, Angel, soon you will hold me tight when you come deep inside me. You will kiss me, and explore my body with your tongue as I have yours. I will moan your name, as tonight you moaned mine.


	2. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to go wrong for the Succubus

You are so perfect!

How often have I thought this as I marvel at your sleeping form, Angel? I have come to you for weeks now, whispering binding spells, giving and taking pleasure, though your giving is unwitting. Do you think of me? Do you remember our pleasure, and wonder how your dreams can be so vivid - so exhausting? 

I think of you. I cannot keep you from my thoughts. My purpose is to take the life force our orgasms bring and make myself whole. To use your energies to perpetuate my own. To become fully corporeal, and go on with my existence until I fade again to the creature of aether that I am. And then to begin again with another. 

I know this. I have done this so many times. How many men have nourished me? A hundred thousand? More? I was Apollo's mistress, and Nefertari called me friend. I have done this for many thousand years, my Angel. Passing from one to another as need drives me. But I do not want to use you up and leave you as I must if I am to survive. The pleasure I give you gives me life, but I am troubled as I have never been before. 

I watch your beautiful body as you stir gently in sleep. My hunger for you is fierce and unstoppable. Even the thought of the taste of you sends a thrill through my being. 

I trail shaking fingers through your curling hair. It is not meant to be this way. I should not feel tenderness. I bend to kiss your lips, pushing the tip of my tongue into your mouth, and for a moment I am surprised when your tongue pushes back. But I am more here now, more solid. I have fed on you for weeks, and you are more aware of me now. The binding spells are more important now to keep you asleep until I am ready. 

I must go on. If I am to survive I must take your life force. Once I am completely corporeal the binding spells will be unnecessary and you will be bound to me. I shiver at the thought of you fucking me, looking into my eyes as you come. The life force from waking men is so much stronger, but they are used up that much quicker. I cannot help what I am, but for the first time I am saddened by the thought of what must happen to you. I find myself - unwilling. 

But I must feed, and it is you I am bound to, so I kiss you once more, deeply and passionately, as I cannot help doing. Your gentle moans make my head spin with desire. How I want you, my Angel, how I burn for you, not just with the hunger of my feeding, but with a heat of passion and desire, a need, that is nothing to do with that. 

I draw the cover further from you, fully revealing your naked form, long and lithe and lovely. The definition of your muscles is perfect, well formed and strong, but not bulky or over-developed. The muscles of your upper arms make me want them around me. One day soon you will hold me. I bend and kiss your neck lightly, breathing softly into it. You draw in a breath and squirm so beautifully, it makes me wet just to see. 

I move my lips along the perfect line of your jaw and into your throat, and your hands move against the sheets as a moan slips from your lips, echoed by one from my own. I move my mouth slowly down your body, pausing to rest my head once more against the rise and fall of your breast. I cannot resist stroking the curling hairs there - I find myself strangely enchanted by them, and it makes me smile to toy with them. 

I drift my lips across your breast, stopping to nibble at your firm nipples. How I love the way your back arches up to me as my tongue flicks at them. I push my arms beneath you as you arch, holding you tightly for a moment, wishing it could be like this between us without my spells. Wishing I did not have to use you up. Why do I feel this way? Why do you make me feel this way, Angel? If I were to stop feeding from you now, I would die before I can bind another. But I do not want you to fade, as you must if I continue. It makes me feel - regret? sorrow? Are these things I can feel now? I want you so desperately though, that I cannot stop it now, as I cannot suppress the sound that escapes my lips as I think of the way you throb and pulse within me when you come. 

My eager hands trace across your body. How I love your body, Angel. I love the smooth muscles of your chest, and the swell of your abs, and playing with those sensitive parts of your torso that make you twitch and gasp as I touch. I find myself smiling again. The joy I feel in you is unlike anything I have felt before. Your movements and the small noises that escape your lips bring tingling fire to my cunt, and an ever growing urgency. 

Kissing your stomach and abdomen, my hand strokes slowly down between your legs, enjoying the warmth and softness of the skin there. I rest my hand on your semi-erect cock, feeling it grow firm as I stroke it. I admire its size as it swells, wanting to feel it drive into me, fill me. I run my tongue along its length. Your hands grip the sheets beneath you as a groan escapes your sweet mouth, and your length twitches beneath my lips. 

The salt-sweet drip of your desire for me inspires me with burning need, and I suck hard at the the tip of your hot shaft, pulling it into my mouth, running my tongue around the swelling end. Fire fills me and I am shaking and dripping with lust even before I can take it deeper. I moan involuntarily as you rise up to meet me, parting your legs for leverage, Before I realise that this is wrong, you are thrusting deep into my mouth, your hands tangled into my hair pulling my head hard down onto you, holding me fast as you push again and again deep into my throat. 

This should not be! The binding spells are meant to keep you asleep. I manage to fight my head free of you, and look up - into your perfect, blue, wide open eyes! I have wanted this so long that for a second I am frozen - but this is far too soon. You should not be awake. I recover in time to flee just before your strong fingers can close on my wrist.

For days I dare not return. I starve, missing the nourishment your climax gives me. I am lost. I know not peace, nor rest, nor why the binding spell broke. Are my spells no longer sufficient? I know fear for the first time. 

And worse - I _miss_ you.


	3. The Dream Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Succubus learns something new

It is nearly a week since I last came to you. I have no choice now - I must feed or die.

I creep in unsure of what I will find. You are asleep. I breathe my relief and approach you silently.

I pause a moment, watching you warily for any sign of waking. I bend and whisper the words of binding that will let me take you. I hunger for you, Angel, as I have never hungered before. My shaking body aches for you, aches for the raw power of your swelling cock deep inside me. My heart beats like thunder, and my desire is lightning through my soul.

I pull the sheet from you, surveying your nakedness with burning eyes. My every nerve is on fire, and I rain hot kisses onto your body, desire sweeping through me like a tidal wave.

"Stop!" Your voice rings in my head like an alarm. I try to flee, but your hand quickly closes on my wrist in a grip I am too weak to break. I try to pull away, but in my weakened state you are so much stronger than I.

"I know you, know what you are. I have been expecting you for some days. I was a little surprised you did not come back to me. And disappointed." your voice is sweeter than I ever imagined, smooth and hypnotic.

"I was - afraid." I answer, quietly. " You are not meant to wake. Not meant to know of me yet. I am sorry, but I must feed. If you know me, you know that, know what happens to those I feed from." I have to ask now, though I fear the answer - "Are you going to kill me?"

You seem surprised by the question. You raise an eyebrow, and unexpectedly my heart pounds. Then your brow furrows a little as though you are considering your response. You examine me so intimately with those perfect blue eyes, and I am suddenly ashamed of my nakedness before you.

A sudden smile lights your beautiful, expressive face and my pounding heart misses a beat.

"I don't think I will do that. Your binding spells have failed; I don't believe you are such a danger to me. I have slept more lightly each time you visited, and I have enjoyed those visits immensely. I have taken pleasure in you and don't begrudge you the energy you have taken from me. And I have felt less exhausted after each visit. I am no threat to you. And.. I apologise unreservedly if I frightened you last time - I got a little carried away."

You sit up, and run a finger down my shoulder and arm. Your other hand still holds my wrist in a grip I cannot break. Your touch burns, and I pull in a breath, shaking. Your finger continues, back up my arm. You move closer, your hand strokes my shoulder, then down, down to my breast. Your hand cups my breast, your thumb stroking my erect nipple. Your touch is fire and I cannot bear it. A cry escapes my lips as my need for you overwhelms me, and I cannot control my body. My back arches, pushing my breast against your caressing hand, my legs parting a little of their own volition. My head falls back, and you bend your face to my exposed neck, your lips brushing against it. Moans fall from my lips and I whisper your name. I feel tears pricking my eyes as I am overwhelmed by feelings I have never known before.

Your voice hypnotises me. "I have done some research on you. After all, I think it's a good idea to get to know someone if you're going to have sex. Did you know succubi can fall in love?"

The question stops my heart. "I know it is possible, but it is rare. It is forbidden," I answer, already knowing where this leads. I close my eyes. Succubi can fall in love, but the punishment for doing so is to lose ourselves, to become mortal. And I am suddenly, frighteningly aware that this is what has happened. My Angel. My Thomas. I have fallen in love with you. I have lost myself.

"Then you know that you lose your powers of binding? That you are at the mercy of the man you fall in love with, to keep or reject you; no going back for you?" Your voice is authoritative, and smooth, and enchants me. Your words fill me with dread, and the tears fall from my eyes. I have never known tears before. Your hand reaches up and takes a hot tear from my cheek. "Your weakness betrays you." Your voice is gentle now, calming. "You are becoming mortal."

I cannot deny this any longer, and in it I find certainty. Your voice, your touch, give me strength. I draw myself up and face your blue eyes with a new courage that even their direct gaze cannot break.

"I am. I have felt it. I know what this means - I am bound to you, and If you reject me I will starve and die. But I do love you, Angel. I am ready - I give up immortality for this one life with you, if you will have me." That is it. I have made my vow.

You stare deeply into my eyes until I can no longer bear it and I drop my gaze, suddenly doubting myself, and fearful of you. You let go of my wrist and turn away. My heart fails me and I swallow hard to push down the sudden sick feeling - is this rejection?

"Lie down" your voice is irresistible and makes me feel very warm.

I do as you bid. When you turn back, you are holding a silk scarf. You lean towards me and, unexpectedly, tie the scarf across my eyes, blindfolding me. I try to sit up but your strong hand holds me back.

"Do not struggle, you are safe." Your voice reassures me, and sends a thrill through me. My body responds as I breathe in sharply.

You tie a soft cord around my wrists and lift them over my head, where they are held as you secure the cord to something.

You move away, and are silent, so I am unsure of where you are, or if you are still in the room. Then in silence, you kiss me, and a thousand thoughts and feelings rush through me. The kiss is deep and fevered, your tongue pressing deep into my mouth, and I am unable to do other than respond with pleasure. My whole body thrills at the light touch of your fingers on my throat, and though I cannot see you, I can feel that you, too, are inflamed. Your hard cock presses against my leg as your fingers trace down my throat.

Your mouth moves down, kissing my throat and neck as I strain in pleasure against the soft cords that bind my wrists. Your hands run softly over my body, and I am aware of every movement of your elegant fingers against my skin. You draw them down my sides, making me shudder and jerk as you track the sensitive nerve paths. I draw in a sharp breath, and emit an involuntary squeak as you drag your nail down those sensitive pathways with a little more force.

I can feel myself growing wet and swollen as your lips find a nipple. Your tongue circles it teasingly, and flicks at it hard, drawing a moan from me as my back arches against you. I can feel how hard you are, desire dripping from you as you move against my leg.

Your hands and mouth explore my body with delicious slowness, caressing my breasts, sucking on my painfully erect nipples, as I pull against my bonds. My body arcs in response to your touch, until I can barely stand it. My breath comes in ragged gasps and moans and I almost beg you to fuck me. Your breath is just as uneven as you kiss me again, hard and urgently.

Your hands move down my body, smoothly running over my hips, and you softly kiss my belly and hips, moving downwards with agonising slowness . I suddenly no longer feel you next to me, and for a moment I feel bereft, but you have just shifted position. You kneel between my legs, parting them, as your hands and mouth continue to tease my sensitive sides and hips.

"I have caught a succubus, and now I will make you mine." Your voice acts on me like an aphrodisiac, thrilling my very soul.

"Oh my Angel, please!" I manage to gasp, as you push my legs apart and draw a finger delicately down the wet swollen, sensitive flesh between.

You slowly push a finger between the wet lips and deep into me, moving it in and out. You push in another, moving them inside over the sensitive spots within, circling my engorged clit with your thumb. I shudder and jerk against you, almost instantly overwhelmed and fighting against climax. You move again and for a moment I fear I will die when your tongue pushes into the wetness there, then flicks at my clit. I teeter perilously on the edge, knowing I can't last long like this.

I am so inflamed with my hunger for you, Angel! I run with aching desire! Your tongue pushes into me deeply, so deeply, then gently runs over my clit. You continue to lick and suck at my swollen clit, and your long fingers push deep inside me again and again, sending electric shocks through me.

"Oh stop, i can't...' I cry out, but this seems to inflame you, and you push my legs further apart and lick me harder. I feel the pressure building like nothing I have ever endured before, every muscle in my body tenses and shudders. I begin to pulse and contract around your probing fingers, and one more lick of my clit sends me spinning over the edge.

My vision whites out as I scream and jerk, straining at the cords that hold me as I come. You hold onto me tightly, moaning as you continue to lick at me, forcing me further and further into oblivion. Your tongue alternately tortures my clit and thrusts into me, lapping eagerly, hungrily at my flow, sending wave after wave of almost unendurable pleasure through me as my orgasm fires and flares again and again.

Before the waves have even begun to subside you move again. You grab me behind the knees, pushing my legs apart as the head of your engorged cock pushes into me, causing further waves to crash through me. You push the head in and out again teasing my aching, dripping hole. I cry out, almost screaming as you slide into me inch by inch as I still jerk beneath you from my orgasm. I think I might die of pleasure.

"Oh fuck, you're tight' you gasp, and I can feel your cock throbbing in response to the pulses of my cunt as you pull back a little and thrust the whole of your hugely swollen length into me, grunting as you push against the throbbing. Body shuddering, I strain against the cords. My head spins and electricity fires through me almost unbearably. Oh, Tom, my sweet Angel, you are a God!

We move together now, our rhythm building quickly, your strokes becoming more urgent as we both begin to tense again. Still dizzy from that first soul-shattering orgasm, I begin to white out again as you push my legs up and apart, angling me so that your thrusts drive deeper than ever before.

'I'm gonna..... C.. Come!' you gasp out, as I feel your cock expand and begin to pulse inside me. You thrust harder and faster into my throbbing cunt, until tears spring from my eyes and I find myself screaming again. I hear you cry out 'fuck! Oh.... fuck!' and you shoot fire into me as we come together and my soul explodes into a billion shards of iridescent light.

 

Later, oh hours later, long after you have released me from my bonds, we make love, moving in slow rhythm together, with gentle kisses and caresses. Your slow strokes within me are nothing like I have ever felt, without urgency or wantonness, and you hold me and call me beautiful as you move. I begin to understand now, Angel, for the first time, why humans have gone to such lengths for love. Why one would sell a kingdom or one's soul for such a feeling. I know that I was right to have chosen you. We hold tight on to each other as we build to a deep climax, and look deep into each other's eyes, whispering each other's name as we come.


	4. A Long Awaited Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new life begins for the Succubus

The home we share is full of life. Succubi are creatures of instinct and raw nature. Other creatures recognise that, and it has always been our gift to be able to use the life force we take from humans to heal. Animals and birds trust me still, despite my growing human-ness. Creatures in need of help turn up or are brought to me, and I happily return them to health. I am relieved to find that I am still a skilled healer. I was afraid that I would lose that ability. 

I am also relieved that I have retained the ability to pleasure you like no other. The imprinting between a succubus and her chosen is complete - she appears as everything her prey most desires, and equally desires her prey. I am happy that becoming your human partner has not diminished the hold we have over each other.

You have been working away for so long and I have missed you. The night of your return you are so tired. I take your hand and lead you to our bed. 

“Let me undress you, Angel” I whisper in your ear as you hold me close. I have to stand on tiptoe to whisper in your ear. 

“With pleasure” you say, as you kiss the top of my head.

I begin to undo the buttons on your shirt, one by one, kissing your chest as each button reveals a little more of your body. How I adore your body. The light cover of little curling hairs on your chest always entrances me. I love to play with them, and I spend a little time now stroking them gently. I move my lips slowly across your wonderful body, kissing your nipples, teasing them a little with my tongue, revelling in the warm flush I feel at your soft gasp.

Your shirt unbuttoned, I slide it from you. I take the opportunity to wrap my arms round you and hold you close for a moment, breathing with you and listening to your heartbeat. You hold me tight to you, our breathing matched and our hearts beating in time. 

“I missed you so much, my Angel. It feels like an eternity since you have been in my arms” I whisper. 

“And I have missed you. I love you.” You have told me you love me before, but the sound of those words thrills me. I lift my face to yours and your mouth meets mine in passion, your tongue pushing delicately against mine at first. As our hearts begin to beat faster, your tongue pushes more urgently, more deeply into my mouth. 

My hands move to your belt. I fumble at first, my head spinning slightly from your kiss. I know you are not wearing anything beneath your trousers, and I undo them slowly, my hand stroking the treasure trail of soft hairs leading down to your manhood. 

I break away from your mouth to fall to my knees before you, completing the slow reveal of your cock. It has a willful mind of its own, your member, and I am happy to see that it too appears to have missed me. It flexes in anticipation as my lips brush it. 

It rises to my kiss to stand erect before me, and I can feel you tremble slightly. You stroke my hair, cupping the back of my head gently. I know you want to thrust into me, but I want to savour this delicious moment I have missed for so long. 

I pull back, stand and steer you to our bed, making you lie down. I stand and look down on your naked body. My heart beats so fast my head spins - you are the most beautiful creature I ever saw! 

I have taken the life forces of many, and of necessity I have found each attractive in their way, but I never beheld anything that moved me as you do. My heart is so full of love for you that it overflows, making my eyes prick with tears. Humans say beauty is skin deep, but yours shines from within. It comes from a place deep in your soul, where your decency and kindness are born. It shines out of every pore of you, and most especially from your eyes. The loss of immortality is a small price to pay to be close to you, to look deep, deep into those eyes where galaxies spin. The love I find there is recompense enough.

I kneel beside you on our bed and lean to kiss you. I kiss the small scars on your face and turn to work my way down your body, enjoying the taste of your skin and revelling in each twitch of your muscles.

Your cock is still awaiting my ministrations, and I am happy to oblige it by running my eager tongue around the swollen head. The glistening dew drips from it in sticky anticipation and I hungrily lick it from the tip. You taste of salted honey, and I feel myself growing hot and wet in response. 

You give small groans as your cock grows ever harder, and your hands creep round my head, pulling me down and thrusting your member deeper into my mouth. I find myself voicing my own desire and one of your hands leaves my head and finds the hem of my dress. Your strong hand slides beneath the skirt, stroking the back of my thighs, higher and higher towards my panties. You rub at me through the silk and I cannot contain my shudder or the whimper that escapes my lips. Your finger slides beneath the soaked silk to rub against my swollen clit, slippery with the hot wetness that drips from me.

Your finger slides into my dripping cunt, rubbing against the sensitive spots within, sliding out again to rub against my clit, making me shudder and gasp. It has been so long since I have felt your touch! I inadvertantly bite down on your cock in my ecstasy, and you flinch and cry out, laughing at my eagerness. 

Suddenly you flip me over onto my back, rolling above me and pinning me. I squeal in surprise and your eyes light up with pleasure at the sound. 

“I have wanted to do this for months” you say, pulling open the front of my dress and cupping my naked breasts with your hand as your mouth covers mine. Your voice hypnotises me and your kiss is like fire burning me from head to toe, centres of lava pooling in my breast and groin. I ache for you!

Your hand leaves my tingling nipples and reaches beneath my dress to tear the wet silk panties from me. You position yourself and I eagerly open my legs wide as you push your full length deep inside me. Oh Angel, it feels like flying!

We move urgently, each desperate to feel the other’s climax. Oh it has been so long! Your thrusts drive me swiftly towards ecstatic oblivion, my head spinning and my breath coming in ragged gasps that mirror your own. I open my eyes and find myself staring into your own perfect orbs. Our gazes lock and stars collide in my head. You throw back your head, the cords of your neck straining, as you explode into me with a loud cry, and I lock my legs around you and give my own cry as I too come.

We stay locked in this embrace, holding tight to each other, shaking, neither wanting this moment to end. Soon your exhaustion overcomes you and you sleep. I hold you in my arms, listening to you breathe, and I too sleep, deeper and more refreshingly than for months.

When I awake it is light. You are still sleeping in my arms. Your warmth against me is wonderful, and I am loath to leave you although I need to shower. I have missed you so very much, and I am unwilling to let you go. Eventually other needs overtake me, and I slip gently from you, trying not to disturb you. I rise and walk quietly to the bathroom, shutting the door so I do not wake you.

The cool shower feels good against my skin. I wash carefully, taking care of the last traces of our passion. As I rinse off my hair, enjoying the feel of the water coursing down my spine, I become aware of your presence behind me.

You kiss the back of my neck tenderly.

‘Good morning my love. You left me - and we have unfinished business in the bedroom…I was forced to follow you so we can continue.’

As you speak, you trace a finger down my spine, making me shiver with delight. I turn to embrace you, and we kiss deeply, your burgeoning cock pressed wonderfully against me. You take the opportunity to caress my breasts, bringing my nipples to hardened points with your touch, and I in my turn cannot help but bend my head to yours, running my tongue over them while my hands trace the contours of your beautiful butt.

I grab the soap, and working a lather in my hands, I kneel and slowly wash your cock of the residues of the night before, rubbing it up and down - just to make sure it is perfectly clean.... I make sure it is well rinsed, then I delicately run my tongue around the head, exploring the hole with pointed tongue as your manhood twitches in my hand. 

Your fingers twine in my hair and I think you are going to thrust into my mouth, but then you grab my arms and pull me upright, turning me, bending me forward a little, and suddenly you thrust deeply into me from behind, grabbing my breasts urgently, squeezing the nipples until I gasp with pain and pleasure. I am caught offguard by your urgency and have to brace against the wall against the force of your thrusts. One of your hands is occupied with torturing my breasts, while the other moves down between my legs to work upon my engorged clit. 

The position we are in makes it difficult for me to do anything other than obey your urge as you control me completely. I cannot prevent myself from being pushed almost against the wall as you thrust harder and harder rising towards your climax. I feel your cock growing ever bigger and harder as you thrust, and your fingers working on my clit send such deep ripples through my impaled cunt that I can barely stand. I cannot withstand this, and my cries grow loud as I come, gripping your cock in waves that can have only one result. You give one huge thrust and shout aloud as your cock leaps to its climax within me, joining the deep spasms of my own orgasm and making me cry out again, as time and the universe stand still around us.

The shower still streaming over us, you still held within me, you push against me, holding me tight, tighter than you ever have, and whisper into my hair in a ragged voice

‘Dear God I have missed you my love. Stay with me forever. Be mine forever. I love you so much. Will you please, please, be my wife?’

‘Oh Tom! My Angel,’ I whisper back, ‘Of course.’


	5. Ties Of Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The outside world disturbs the lovers.

It is the start of Summer. Our garden is beautiful, full of life and colour. We sit outside in secluded green beauty at a small table, drinking your favourite tea.

‘I have to go to America again.’ You say.

‘Oh. When will you go?’

‘The end of the week. I’m afraid there wasn’t much notice.’

‘Do you know how long you will be gone?’

‘Not too long, I hope, a week or two. It’s publicity - the usual interviews, balls and parties. Will you come with me?’

‘I thought you wanted to keep your work and private lives separate.’ I lean over and kiss you gently, my hand stroking your face. ‘Your fans would be unhappy to know you were spoken for.’

‘They will know soon enough once we marry. I want to start showing you off.’ You say, taking my hand and kissing it. It is a sweet move, all your own, and always sends a thrill through me. ‘We need to decide on a date.’

‘I am already yours entirely, my Angel, but I will be your wife whenever you are ready.’

Your face falls a little and you look down at my hand in yours, playing with it.

‘I am happy to have been working, but I wish I had not been so busy. When I think about what you were, what your life was before me. You have given up everything. Immortality. How can I ever repay that? I want you to know what that means to me. How honoured I am by your love.’

‘I told you once that to spend one lifetime with you is worth all I gave up. If I had the chance to do it again, I would make no other decision.’

You lean over to me, take my face in your hands and kiss me tenderly. Your lips on mine are electric and and my breathing stutters. You stand and pull me up, wrapping your arms round me, pulling me close to you. I melt happily into you, holding you tight.

‘You know, this garden is not overlooked’ you whisper in my ear.

‘It’s not?’

‘No. We are completely private.’ One of your hands has fallen to the hem of my dress, stroking its way up my thigh.

‘Oh. That’s good’ I say, my hand reaching for your belt. I am quite practiced at this, and your trousers are quickly undone. I lift your shirt off, breaking your hold on me for a second, kissing your chest. Your hand immediately moves back to stroking up my thigh. Your breathing is uneven and your mouth reaches hungrily for mine as I push my hand into your pants and reach for you.

You gasp as I take you in my hand. You push yourself between my legs, pushing me backwards so I am perched on the edge of the little table. 

Your hand continues up my thigh and strokes at the warmth between my legs. Then you step back, lean down and slowly pull my panties from me. You stay down there, parting my legs, lifting them so my heels rest on the little table and I am open wide to you as I lean back on my hands. You stroke at me with shaking hands.

Your fingers move over me, encouraging the wetness that flows from me at your sweet touch. I lean back, my heart pounding as you stroke me. You press your face between my legs, your tongue tip teasing over my erect clit as your fingers push into me. I am swollen and wet and every millimetre of your long fingers slowly moving in and out drives lightning through me. My breath draws in sharply, and I moan as my eyes close in pleasure.

In spite of the ecstasy you drive me to, I am suddenly and inexplicably driven by an overwhelming need to hold you close, to wrap all of me around you. I grab your arms and pull you up, pulling your arms around me and reaching down to push your trousers and undershorts down and guide your already firm cock into me.

We hold each other tightly as you slowly slide deep into me. Slowly, gently you move against me and I am overwhelmed by my love for you. Tears prick my eyes as you kiss me with so much care and tenderness. I can taste myself in your kiss. Your hand reaches down my back to press me against you. You press closer between my legs, moving in a slight circular motion that moves you against me deep inside and grinds you against my sensitive clit, taking my breath away.

Soon I begin to jerk against you as your cock swells within me. Your strokes come faster and deeper and I can’t hold out against the exquisite pleasure that builds in me.

‘God, I love you so much’ you whisper against my ear. Your breath makes me shiver and shudder against you, my cunt throbbing around you as my nails accidentally gouge your naked back. You jerk and your cock twitches inside me.

‘Angel’ I manage to gasp against your neck. My legs wrap tightly around you and you grab hold of my butt as your cock pulses. Raw noises escape your throat as your cock expands and begins to heave inside me. The pulsing of my cunt answers it and a cry escapes you as you shoot raw fire deep into me. I clutch at you, tears squeezing from my eyes as I cry out, my body shaking uncontrollably as the heat of my climax burns through me.

You hold onto me so tight as the fire slowly subsides and our pounding hearts slow to normal. I find I am unwilling to let go of you, and you seem to feel the same. You press me close, holding my face to your chest as you kiss the top of my head.

Our bodies relax, but we still hold tightly to each other, there in our garden in the sun. You are my centre and my home, and I know you feel the same for me.

But time passes, and it seems just a moment before you are gone, back to America for interviews and photoshoots and publicity. I know I stay away because it is important for you to be seen on your own, but I am uneasy, and I miss you so very much. I know you miss me too; you call and text me at every opportunity.

And it will only be a couple of weeks.

But a couple of weeks stretches to three, then you call to tell me you have pickups for the last film you worked on. You sound small and far away, and you keep telling me you miss me, and love me. It makes me sad to hear you sound so lost.

That night I have a vision. My father comes to me. Yes, we have fathers. Succubi and our brothers Incubi are offspring of the Djinni. My father is angry. He orders me to return to my kind. He tells me that my humanity is an illusion, that I am and always will be a Succubus. He says no human will sign the pact that releases me. I don’t understand what he means. I cannot believe that I am not human. I have new emotions now, things I have never thought or felt. I feel sorrow, and guilt, and love. So much love, for you my Angel. I will be your wife. I awake feeling sad and frightened.

I am upset for days. Even your calls do not calm me, and they are becoming less frequent. I am impatient for your return.

I am busy, and I hope it will make the time pass quicker, but it does not seem to. You are too far away from me, my Angel, and I can't dispel my unease. Your schedule becomes so busy you barely have time to call me.

Then one morning the gate intercom rings. It is you sister. She sounds agitated. I let her in. We are good friends - we have got on well from the start. I know she is aware there is more to our relationship than meets the eye, though I don't think you have told her the full story. 

She knows that there is more to me than to others. She has witnessed my ability to heal animals and birds. She has brought me patients. But if she really knew, would she understand? That my purpose had once been to use your life force to feed my own? If she knew that, would she say you should have killed me when you caught me, as so many others of my kind have been killed? 

She is obviously anxious and keeps playing with her phone as I make her a tea. When I pass her the tea and join her at the table I can see she is deeply upset.

‘What's wrong? What's happened?

She hesitates, then passes me her phone. There is a picture on it. It is you - you are kissing someone. A tall woman with long red hair.

“Ohhhh, I see’, I smile. ‘Well no wonder he was anxious about the pickups. Most men would be happy to have a job where they get paid to kiss beautiful women!” I laugh.

She looks pale. 

‘It wasn't the film....' The words are obviously hard for her to get out. 'It was a party last night. My friend was there and she sent me the photo. Gossip. She doesn't know he's with you. I'm so sorry. I don't understand it.’ She is close to tears.

My heart thuds in my chest and my stomach drops.

‘There must be some mistake. It's just a joke. He would never do anything to hurt me. Certainly not like this. He loves me. We are to be married. We are meant to be getting married….’ although I am trying to be calm and rational I can hear desperation in my voice. She can hear it too.

She takes my hand and I see pity in her eyes. My phone alerts me to a call. It is you. I am so relieved!

‘See, it’s him. It was nothing!’ I smile as I answer the call.

Your beautiful voice sounds strained.

‘I know you will have seen the pictures.’ My heart drops. Pictures? There are more?

‘I am sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I hope that one day you will understand and forgive me. I'm not sure if what we had was because of your powers, because of what you are, but I know I loved you and I need you to know that. I'm sorry.’

And you are gone and I can't speak. You did not even let me speak. Because of what I am? But I am not that any more! I fell in love and I am now as mortal as you are. What we _had _? _Loved _?____

____Your sister hugs me, but eventually she has to go. I pack a few things and leave, dropping my keys into your letterbox. I can't think, or feel. I don't know where I am going. I only know I have to go._ _ _ _

____I get on the first train out of London at the first station I reach. I travel all day, and when it gets dark I find a hotel room. Cheap and anonymous, nowhere anyone we know would find me. I try to call you, but it is rejected. I do the only thing I can do, composing a text in the hope you will read it._ _ _ _

____‘My love’ I write, ‘I do not know why you have done what you have done, or how far it has gone. But I know you love me, as I love you. Please come back’_ _ _ _

____There is no reply. You are right about there being more pictures. In the weeks that follow I see your picture in gossip magazines and websites. Pictures of you with your arm around the tall redhead. Then she disappears and you are pictured hand in hand with a pretty brunette. You look pale. Do you miss me, I wonder?_ _ _ _

____Your sister and a few of our friends try to contact me. In the interests of their peace of mind I reply at first, to tell them I am alive and well and not in any danger, and they must forget me as you have. Then I stop replying; I cannot bear to be part of their world any more. But I keep my phone on all the time - am I stupid to think that you might call or text me?_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____My father comes to me again. It is not a dream. He tells me I must begin to feed again, or I will fade and die. Could he be right? Am I no longer human? Or was I never human? He orders me to forget you._ _ _ _

____Now I have some idea of what happened. I am not sure why, or how, but I believe my ‘family’ have separated us. Somehow they have worked on you to abandon me to make me return to them. If I do not feed, will I die?_ _ _ _

____Months pass. It is obvious to me now that I will need to find someone to feed from. I am pale and thin and feel so tired. The thought of being with another man horrifies me. I would rather die._ _ _ _

____This time one of my sisters comes to me. She tries to persuade me to go with her to choose someone to feed from. She is right that I need to feed soon. I am heartbroken to find that I am still a Succubus._ _ _ _

____And yet, I have a heart to break._ _ _ _

____I still feel the emotions you awoke in me._ _ _ _

____I still miss you._ _ _ _

____I hold out for another month. The next time she comes to me I am barely corporeal. I have been drifting in and out of your world for days now. In the end I can only follow her. I do not wish to feed, but I find I don’t want to die. I still hold out the hope that one day I will see you again. If I feed, at least I will still be here, even as a succubus. I am ashamed, but I go with her._ _ _ _

____You are still in America, but she will not stay here in England. She does not trust me here where you live. She takes me to Europe and there I try to find someone, anyone, to feed from. I find someone, but I am unable to consummate the feeding. I bind him, I even find him attractive, but I cannot bring myself to touch him, or fuck him. It is weeks before I can do so. Eventually I am driven to it, and his climax nourishes me for a while. I begin to grow stronger as he weakens. I can’t use him up, can’t bring myself to drain him. I stop feeding from him. I move on, find another. It is easier this time, and I begin to get used to the fact … I am what I am._ _ _ _

____My heart is still broken. That I can still feel leaves me a distant hope, but I must own the truth, that I am a Succubus. I have returned to my world. My sister still accompanies me, and we move around Europe. I believe she is my guard more than my companion. She drains her men to weakness and death, but I can’t. I move from man to man, taking only what I need to survive and leaving as soon as I can._ _ _ _

____We have been in Prague for a month. It is more than a year since I last saw you. I still miss you, and I wonder if you ever think of me. I often wonder how you were turned against me, or turned from me. And something my father said has always stayed with me. I decide to confront my sister - I am sure she knows more of this._ _ _ _

____‘Do you know how it was done?’ I ask._ _ _ _

____‘How what was done, sister dear?’_ _ _ _

____‘You know what. How were we separated?’_ _ _ _

____‘Are you still worrying over that human? Why fret yourself over cattle? They are our food.’_ _ _ _

____‘I loved him. I still love him. I fell in love. I am not like you any more, not wholly succubus.’_ _ _ _

____‘Then you are a fool. You fell in love? Do you know how ridiculous that is? How insulting to our kind? Does the Owl fall in love with the Mouse? That is why the punishment for falling in love is to become mortal. To become. Our. Food. Do you understand?’_ _ _ _

____‘But I am not mortal. I thought I was. I thought I was human. I thought and felt as a human. I did not need to feed. Our lovemaking was just that, for love, not for feeding. But now I am succubus again. How is that?’_ _ _ _

____She avoided my eyes._ _ _ _

____‘Because you have returned to us. You are changed, but that will pass. Eventually you will be one of us again.’_ _ _ _

____My father’s words come to me._ _ _ _

____‘Have you heard of “the pact that releases us”?’ Her expression shifts. A miniscule movement, but enough. ‘You know what it is, don’t you?’_ _ _ _

____She looks at me with an expression I cannot read._ _ _ _

____‘The pact is what completes your transformation. Without it you can still become Succubus again. You think it is love alone that makes you human? The pact is what you and the human have to sign to seal your humanity, to prove that you have been accepted as a human’s mate and that you have accepted a mortal life. It ‘releases’ you from our world. The marriage contract that you were to sign - that would have triggered the pact.’_ _ _ _

____She paces the floor. She is angry. ‘A marriage, a handfasting, even a broomjumping - the sanctioned promise before witnesses. Throughout our time, that joining together as one triggers the pact. The human would then have to agree to sign the pact with you and we would have to honour it, to lose you to the human world.’_ _ _ _

____‘That is why you separated us when you did - because we had planned to marry. You would have been forced to agree to it. How did you persuade him? He loved me, I know he did. He would not have given me up easily.’_ _ _ _

____'Well, we explained to him that you are ours and we would not be happy to lose you to a snack.' A jibe intended to hurt deeply. Oh she knows how human I still am._ _ _ _

____‘It would take more than that. I know him. I know his resolve. What did you do?’_ _ _ _

____‘I did nothing.’_ _ _ _

____‘Do not play with me. What did you do? What did our father do?’_ _ _ _

____‘He explained to your toy that he would see you dead before he saw you mated to a human. That persuaded him to give you up. Then a few of our sisters kept him company to dull his memory of you.’_ _ _ _

____She leans close, hissing into my face._ _ _ _

____‘We are too few. We have lost too many over the years, killed by the humans we feed from. Sometimes lost to the pact. We will not lose another. You are mistaken if you think we will let you go without a fight. We will drain him before we will allow you to leave us for him.’_ _ _ _

____Now I know exactly how human I am. I feel sick at the thought of the threat that made you leave me, and sicker at the thought of you fucking my sisters. I know you would have enjoyed them, even if you still thought of me. It burns my soul. My memory leaps to that last picture I saw of you. How pale you looked. My sisters were not just keeping you company, they were binding you, feeding from you._ _ _ _

____My legs no longer support me and I feel myself tremble. I sit heavily, my heart pounding. I cannot do this any longer. There must be some way to escape, to find you and bring you back to my arms._ _ _ _

____I will not let my world separate us for ever._ _ _ _


	6. A Tiger By The Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Succubus makes a deperate bid for freedom

My sister guards me more closely than ever. I don't know how I am to escape from her without risking your life.

My Angel, I am so very sorry that you have been placed in harm's way like this because I fell in love with you.

My heart burns with anger at the thought of my sisters pawing your beautiful body. But worse is the knowledge that you will be unable to resist them. Even if your love for me is still in there you will pleasure them with the same vigour and enthusiasm with which you once pleasured me.

I know they will not want to bond with you, as they are keeping you alive to ensure my obedience. They know the threat to you will keep me from any action that might endanger you further. Otherwise I would have slaughtered them all long since, family or no. They know there is little enough of humanity left in me for that.

Less, indeed, as time passes. I imagine myself with you when I take them, but I find it harder to care about the men I use - you are the only light in my existence, and so the only thing that saves them.

I still love you, my sweet Angel, with everything that I am, everything that I have been, and everything that I will be. For you I became human. I will fight for you with my last breath, even to the last breath of everyone who stands between us.

The women you are seen with in public are not the ones to fear, though. They are already fully corporeal and their games will keep you exhausted and docile, but will not do you permanent harm. They are there to distract you from any memory of me.

The ones to truly fear are those that might come to you in your sleep. They will drain you dangerously, my Angel, and I have to keep them from you if I can. So I will behave, and wait, and watch, and try to save you.

 

One night my sister calls me to her room.

'I have something to show you, sister dear. I am sure you will be entertained.'

She inserts a disc into her computer.

It is a dark room. It is a while before I recognise it. My heart aches. It is our room, your room again now, in the home we shared. The light comes on. You enter the room, with one of my sisters, a corporeal Succubus. I can't watch this. I give my sister a look which should kill and turn to leave the room.

'No, sister, stay. If you want him to live, stay, watch.'

I stay.

The woman's arms are around you, and you are kissing her. She undoes your shirt, pushing it from you, and your body still takes my breath away, though you have lost a little weight and are pale. Your withdrawal from more public life on health grounds has taken place gradually and has now almost ceased to arouse comment.

Her hands caress you as I once did, stroking your chest, running over your back. She reaches up to pull your face down to hers and your hands begin to move over her body, pulling at her dress, pulling it from her. She is naked beneath it.

Your hands stroke her, moving delicately over her breasts and back, lifting her leg so you can run your hands over her butt and between her legs. You kiss her again as she reaches to undo your belt and push your trousers down. My cheeks burn as it becomes obvious how much you want her. You step out of your trousers and lift her bodily onto you, lowering her down onto your erect cock as she wraps her legs around your waist. Your mouth hungrily reaches for hers as you lift and lower her. You carry her to the bed and throw her from you onto it, eagerly pushing her legs wide apart as you lower yourself to lick her.

Her fingers twine in your hair and as you pleasure her she stares into the camera you don't know is there. The sounds you make run through me like a dagger.

'Enough. Enough, sister, you have my compliance. You know I will not do anything to jeopardise him. Do not torture me.' I angrily dash away the tears running down my face.

'Oh, is this entertainment not to your liking any more? Time was when you enjoyed watching our sisters and brothers. Oh well. At least you know he is happy without you.' She smiles; a sweet sisterly smile that merely highlights her cruel and sadistic... I was about to say soul, but she has none. She has always been among the very worst of us.

I turn to leave but she stops me.

'I said stay. I must admit, he is very pretty. And very enthusiastic. I'd like a go myself. Keep watching, sister dear, or we will have to hurt him.'

If I could kill her without it meaning your death too I would do it now.

On the screen I can see you push your fingers into the woman as you suck and lick at her. She stares into the camera as she grabs the bedposts for purchase, her body beginning to jerk. Oh I know how well you do this and I can almost imagine myself in her place. But to watch you do this to her is killing me. All the small sweet movements of your aroused body simply serve to remind me what I have lost. And that is the purpose of this.

One of your hands creeps up and caresses her breasts, and she jerks as you stroke over her nipples. Her breathing is uneven, and suddenly she tenses beneath your touch. Oh I know this moment so well. To survive I have taken many men over these last two years, but they have never given me anything so intense as you did.

She cries out and convulses as she comes. You force her legs wider apart and press your face harder into her as she jerks and shakes under you and you lap at her cum. I vividly remember how electrifying your touch was, how deep my orgasms were for you. My face burns with anger and hatred and jealousy - and something else I cannot control. I am shamed to be turned on by watching you but the memory of your hands on my body is inescapable. There is wet warmth between my legs and I can almost feel the contours of your beautiful body in my hands.

My sister applauds showily, throwing me out of my memory.

'Oh, very good. My, I can see why you were so enchanted by him. Now let's see what else he has to offer.'

My imagination moves from my hands on your body to my hands around her throat. She is watching you on the screen, face flushed, lips parted, eyes half closed in lustful enjoyment of you.

On the screen you feverishly reposition yourself and thrust your erection into the girl. She gasps and bucks beneath you as you fuck her enthusiastically. I know how that feels and my heart is breaking. Your moans pierce my soul, as do your jerking thrusts as you near climax.

You throw your head back, eyes closed, straining against your orgasm, and the woman you are fucking smiles into the camera. At me. The truth dawns. The disk was a ploy. This is a live feed. I feel sick. I have not been watching a randomly recorded event. This is you, now, fucking a Succubus, enjoying her, giving her the energy she craves.

I watch as you slump forward, spent and exhausted. This was staged to torture me, to make me watch them drain you right now in front of my eyes. A more effective warning could not be devised. Tears run unchecked down my face.

My sister breathes out as though she has been holding her breath.

I run from her room and shut myself in my own. There is no sleep for me that night, nothing but despair and tears, and anger at myself for my transparency. I will allow her this triumph for now, but I will never let her see me weep for you again. I will disguise my emotions, lest they put you at more risk.

 

I fight hard over the following months to appear what she wishes. I take more men, take them for longer. I abhor the fact that I am forced to be like this. But I will not take any more lives. Not any more human lives. As to my own kind, if I could, at this moment I would slaughter every last one for what they are doing to you. Still, the outward appearance is more convincing. After more than two years I am finally mastering myself (!)

 

My sister appears to watch me marginally less closely of late. Have I convinced her that I am willing to return to them? I have hidden it well, perhaps, but all my thoughts are still of you. I fight to retain my humanity.

In fact it seems that my part-Succubus/part-human state is advantageous to me. My sister is all Succubus, as I was when I met you. Once she starts to feed there is a point of no return after which she is bound to her prey as much as he is to her. She can do no other but continue to feed on that one man until she is wholly sated and he is weakened to death.

I, on the other hand, am still able to feed without bonding completely. I am still free to move on - at least so far.

I believe this may provide me with the opportunity to evade my sister at a point where she is unable to follow me. It will take such delicate timing, but if I can get to you and persuade you that I am still yours entirely, we may be able to escape my world together.

If you remember me.

Oh it is obvious they have done their best to make you forget me.

I know that I will need help, and I believe it can only come from your sister. But it will mean telling her everything. I don't know what she will do. Will she even believe me? There is so much I need to find out and arrange if this is to have any chance of succeeding.

 

We are in Germany, in Hamburg. You feel so close. I bide my time, watching for an opportunity to make contact. When I know I am alone, I will write your sister a letter. I will send it to another of our friends, someone I trust. She may be surprised to get a letter to give to your sister, but I will tell her I don't want you to find out, and to be private and alone when she passes your sister the letter. It may seem odd to her that I would disappear for so long, but I am sure she will know of your apparent infidelity and our parting, so I hope she will just think I ran away.

I hope for both our sakes she does as I request, and is not being watched. I don't think my family would know who she is, or if they do, to go to that extent, certainly not after all this time.

 

I manage to write the letter to your sister, telling her that I still love you. I tell her that you are in danger. Then I go into detail as to how and why that is so. Including our history, and the truth of my origins and our meeting. And that it is my fault you are in danger. I have no choice but to tell her everything. I pray that she will believe me. And forgive me. I beg her to help and tell absolutely no one the details. There is so much more in the letter. I have a detailed plan which I explain, and I give her instructions on the way to contact me. I know she loves you, and I know that she has been a friend to me. We were very close. She knows me, knows I am different - this is where my main hope lies. I can only pour out my heart and pray. There is so much for her to do - if she believes me. But I know I can trust her to get everything right. I can only risk this one letter. I hope with all my heart and soul that it works.

Almost every day since we arrived here three months ago I have gone to the café in the station. My sister is now preoccupied. She believes me to be hunting - for my own pleasure since I am corporeal. While there I read the paper and chat to the barista and some of the locals and tourists passing through. It is a large, busy station and there is no shortage of men to choose from. As it is an internet café sometimes I use the computers there, but not for too long at a time. Sometimes I have printed things of interest, but not very often. After my coffee I do whatever I have to do in the town, but always openly. I do not intend to arouse any suspicion if anyone is watching me.

The day after I write the letter, I print off a form and take it with me while I run my errands in the city. Over the next few days I gather certain documents together, along with letters and the form. I bundle it together and put it in an envelope marked for your sister, which I enclose in another envelope along with the letter to our friend. It turns into a surprisingly small package to rest our future on. I keep it in the bag I take out with me every day, but I do not address it yet, not until I get the chance to send it without suspicion.

At last I get the opportunity to send the letter to our friend. My heart pounds as I send it. Everything hinges on this. Whether you and I survive this year depends on your sister getting that letter, and on what she does with what I tell her. If this fails, they will kill both of us. They will drain you first, and I know they will make me witness it. But if we are to die I will take as many of them with me as I can.

Every week there are personal ads in the local paper. Archaic, I know, but I believe it to be the securest and least easy to trace of the options open to me. There will only ever be two messages, both from your sister, and there will be no way to guess when they will appear.

 

Another month passes before I find what I am looking for. My heart is in my mouth. The entry is from your sister, I am certain. My initial, the words 'I know. Yes.' then her initial. I make no outward reaction, nothing to indicate I have read anything different in the personal ads. I merely carry on reading through the rest of the paper as I do every day. As I will do every day for the next few weeks. In that time, your sister will make most of the arrangements, using the instructions, letters and documents I have sent her. I have been completely thorough. Right down to the gradual influence on my sister for us to end up here at Hamburg.

When I am alone at night I whisper your name into my pillow. Could it really be that we may yet escape this? I ache for you, more now than ever, knowing that we are so close. Oh my beloved Angel, I pray that this all goes to plan. Whether it does or does not, this is the end of this way of life for both of us.

The second message appears so quickly I am almost taken by surprise. Only three weeks. I thought it would take longer. Again, my initial and hers, and simply a smiley-face emoji. In two weeks from today this will all be over, one way or another.

 

My sister is with her chosen. She will not be able to go too far from him. I too have a man, and that is where I am at the start of this night. No one will expect me to be anywhere else tonight, or well into tomorrow at the very least. She may not have any suspicion for a couple of days.

At four in the morning I leave him and take the short walk to the station. When I emerge from the building his apartment is in I do not look the same. I know it's a cliché, but I must take any chance to give me a few moments of anonymity if anyone is watching. I have put my hair up under a shorter blonde wig; a very good one, and the clothes I had ready at the home of the man I was with. I sit in the café, which is open all night. I have often sat here before at this time of night, all night on some occasions, just to make my actions on this one night seem normal.

I walk to the ticket office and pay cash for a ticket to Aabenraa in Denmark. I have waited till the last minute - the train I need leaves at five forty and I just make it.

 

The journey takes three hours. When I arrive at Aabenraa station I take a taxi to the Europa on H P Hanssens Gade and book in under a Danish name. I have lived in Denmark several times over the years, and I am fluent enough to pass for Danish. And it has the advantage that none of my family know the name.

Within ten minutes there is a knock on my door. Even though I am expecting it I jump.

I check through the spyhole first. It is your sister, and I open the door quickly and all but pull her inside. She looks pale, and I can't tell what she is thinking. For a moment I do not know what she is going to do, but then she hurls herself into my arms and hugs me. It is the first genuine human contact I have had for almost three years, and I hug her back, so hard. I realise I am crying, we are both crying.

'I am so sorry,' I keep saying, 'So very sorry'.

She shushes me.

'I know that you love him. That is all that matters. I have been so worried about you. And him. He has become so distant since you left. All those women - I knew there was something wrong but could not work out what. Quite apart from the obvious issue of him abandoning you when he was so deeply in love with you. What you said made sense. And I know you. I know there was far more to you, and to your relationship with my brother, than met the eye.' She puts her hand to my face.

'I understand what this all means, you know. I understand what you are sacrificing for him. I mean, I realise. I'm not sure I could ever understand the truth of what giving up immortality really is. You truly love him that much?'

'More. If it was mine to give, I would give the universe and all of time. He is my world, and I wish to be his again.'

She nods.

'Your first appointment is at four o'clock today. I couldn't make one any earlier. The other is Thursday at nine a.m. I have everything here ready, all the documents. And the most important thing.' She smiles.

My head spins. You are here! I can scarcely believe it. But I know I have a job to do now. I don't know if you will remember me, or still love me, or even care.

'I don't know how you managed to get him to come, but I love you for it. Thank you so much.' I hugged her tight again.

'Oh a sister can be persuasive. There have fewer women of late, and I told him I missed him and wanted him all to myself somewhere quiet and clean where we could just be ourselves and no-one would recognise him. This place is a bit obscure, but as you say, it's not exactly one of the first places anyone would look. He was persuaded by the hiking trails in the end. It's a long time since we went hiking together. He's in room 238. Go and bring him back to us.'

 

I knock quietly on your door and you open it quickly. I suspect you are expecting your sister. You have your beard, and you wear a pale blue jumper that makes your eyes seem an impossibly vibrant green-blue. My heart thuds so loud I am sure you must hear it. When you see me you betray no sign of knowing me. My brain is so full of emotions I can't separate, and I am aware I am shaking. Tears prick my eyes. Your eyes, on the other hand, seem guarded and wary. I open my mouth to speak, but I can't. I take my opportunity and slip past you into your room, pushing the door shut behind me. Your hand does not resist when the door handle leaves it.

You face me. I put my hand on the side of your face and you do not pull away. In fact, your hand begins to move as though to cover mine. But it drops again.

I can't bear this! What have they done to you.

'Angel, do you remember me?'

You look thoughtful. Your eyebrows do that thing where just the middle raises a little, and my heart thuds and my stomach flips.

'You are a friend of my sister's.'

'I am. But I have been a friend, and more than a friend, to you. It is nearly three years since we last met. You went to America for work and you did not come back to me. You once loved me, as much as I love you.'

I can't wait any longer, and I rush to you and take you into my arms. My hand reaches up to tangle in your hair, which has grown quite long. My tears are impossible to stop.

'Oh please, my sweet Angel, please remember me. We were to be married. My family have kept us apart so they do not lose me, and they have threatened your life and mine to keep us from being together. Those women you have been with, they are my sisters. They are Succubi, like I was. Please remember. I fell in love with you and you caught me. I lived with you. I was to give up my immortality for you.'

It all tumbles from me amid my sobbing and in my distraction I don't realise you are not holding me as I am holding you.

You push me away and whatever I was expecting it was not the stinging backhand blow that lands on my cheek, stunning me and blurring my vision with tears.

Before I can recover your hand is at my throat, pushing me back against the wall. As I blink away the tears and struggle for breath I can see how angry your face is.

'I do know you, demon. Your sisters have told me the truth about you. Your aim was to drain the life from me. They have entertained me well, and they have explained that you are incapable of loving a human, that you view men as food. They told me if you come for me I should kill you.'

While you talk the hand not pinning me against the wall tears open my blouse and grabs at my breasts. 'But I remember you were a good fuck. I will have you one last time before I cut your pretty throat and watch you turn to dust. It will be worth the few hours exhaustion.'

Your eyes are dilated with lust and your jaw pushes forward a little in that way that always turned my blood to fire. But the pressure of your hand on my throat is hard and real, and angry. My hands claw at yours around my throat, until your other hand grabs my wrists. It is big enough to hold both my wrists, and you pull them down. Your hand leaves my throat and you tear open the last few buttons of my blouse and push it down as you push my arms behind me, using the blouse to hold them there with one hand. I am still dazed from your hand around my throat, and can't resist as you pull your belt loose with your other hand, wrapping it tightly around my wrists to secure them behind my back. 

Your head briefly drops to my breasts and you suck my nipples, then bite at them hard enough to hurt, pulling a sob from me.

You grab hold of my hair and drag me over to the dresser, roughly pushing me face down over it. You tear open the back of my skirt and grab at my butt, your thumbs working between my legs at the soft opening, pulling me apart. 

You push your fingers roughly into me past the crotch of the pretty lace panties I wore with an entirely different version of this moment in mind. I have been denied your touch for so long, and despite my fear my need for you is so deeply ingrained that even the unbidden pentration of your fingers bring a growing wetness from me.

You use both hands to tear open the crotch of the panties. You kick my legs apart, one hand pushing down on my tailbone to stop me moving. Your fingers push into me again, my body betraying me so that my juices run freely and your fingers slide deep inside me with wet noises. You pull them out and out of the corner of my eye as my face is flat against the dresser I see you raise them to your lips and lick at the sticky wetness on them, your eyes closing.

I hear you undoing your trousers, and then your hard cock plunges deep into me without any further preparation. My body responds without my brain's input or consent, my cunt quivering around you as you push into me. Your hands grasp at my breasts, squeezing my nipples hard enough to hurt, but my cries now are as much of pleasure as pain.

You thrust again, then you pull out completely. It doesn't register what you are doing when I feel your hand against me, dragging the wetness from me to lubricate you. Then I feel it guiding your cock to my ass, forcing it into me. You are slick with my wetness and yours. Your engorged tip pushes in and out, and my cunt throbs achingly as you push deeper and deeper into my ass with each thrust. You push into me again and again, your raw grunts and my cries joining. I feel every pulse of your cock as it begins to twitch, squeezed deep inside me. Unbidden, my hips begin to move to meet your thrusts as you fuck my ass so hard the dresser bangs against the wall.

Suddenly one of your hands leaves my breasts and I feel you burrow between my legs, pushing into me then squeezing my clit, rubbing at me as you thrust. My heart pounds harder and my brief surprise that you want to make me come when you are taking your pleasure of me by force is overridden by the lights that begin to burst behind my eyelids. My whole being begins to glow and my legs start to shake, my head resting on the dresser as my breathing becomes as ragged as your own.

Your cock pounds at my ass harder and your cries become gutteral, animal, as your fingers work at my almost painfully sensitive clit. My juices flow copiously from my cunt, beginning to run down my leg. Your fingers push deep into the wetness noisily. The sensation of you in both holes as you squeeze hard at my nipples makes my blood rush and I edge so close to coming. Then your fingers slide back to their electrifying playing over my throbbing clit. My legs part further to allow your hand easier access, and I teeter on the edge of coming apart.

Your cock swells hugely within me - I feel it leap and spurt, and I shatter. I jerk as my muscles clamp around you, trapping you inside as your fingers bring me to an explosive climax. I scream so loud I think half the hotel must have heard. I buck and convulse beneath you, my head pounding and my cum cascading over your hand which still moves over me and in me as I shake uncontrollably. Your other hand grabs at my hip to pull me hard against you as my jerking drags your seed from you with your last shuddering thrusts.

Your body drops forward to cover me, and I half expect your hands around my throat again. But instead your arms begin to wrap around me.

Your voice is slightly muffled against my back.

'I am not drained. Not in the way I always am after taking your sisters. They told me your purpose was to drain me. That sex with you would drain me far worse than it ever did with them. This... is not that. This is... warm, and right. They lied. Why would they try so hard to turn me against you?'

Desperate hope leaps within me. My voice shakes partly from emotion and partly still from the effects of the shattering orgasm you just brought me to. Is the depth of my love for you the thing that will save me now?

'Yes, my love, they lied to you. For three years I have waited for the chance to bring you back, to free you from them. They have kept you from me, drained you, kept you tired and controllable. This feels right because I am yours. I became human for you. It's not possible for me to drain you, because I love you. I don't think they ever imagined you would test out their lie. They don't want to lose me because their numbers are so dwindled.'

'My God, I remember - A man came to me. He told me he would kill you if I did not abandon you. Then the women came to me. So many. And just to keep my thoughts from you? And I went with them willingly. In the beginning, somewhere in my mind I knew it was wrong but I couldn't seem to fight it. And I was so afraid they would kill you. Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm a fool. I'm so sorry. I've hurt you so much. Lyra, forgive me.' Your arms tighten round me, clamping me tight beneath your covering body, and your head rests against mine. Tears of love and relief fall from my eyes.

You pull out of me. You carefully undo the belt holding my wrists, and then you all but drag me upright, turning me round to face you. You grab hold of me and wrap me in an embrace so tight I can barely breathe.

The tears catch my breath in my throat, but I manage to get out 'There is nothing to forgive. I am yours, now and for the rest of our life together. The man was my father. Those women were Succubi, and they were there for you. You would never have been able to resist them. Oh, Angel, never feel any guilt for that. I have renounced my immortality for you. We will be married and we will spend a mortal life together and share whatever comes after. Only tell me you still love me, my Angel, my Thomas.'

'I do. I do love you. How could I have forgotten that?' You touch my face gently, reddened where the blow landed. Your eyes are filled with tears and pity and shame and love. You pull up my blouse and try to pull it to cover me, but the buttons are gone, the material torn. You look shocked and ashamed as you fold your arms round me again.

'Their power is great. You were not yourself. Now we are together we are at our strongest. Their success depended on keeping us apart. But Angel we are not free yet. We have much to do, and this is the most dangerous time. Your sister has worked so hard to help make this happen, and with her help now we can succeed.'

Your hand presses my head to your chest, stroking my hair as you plant kisses on the top of my head. My tears are soaking into the blue jumper. I feel something land gently on my hair and I realise it is a tear from your eyes. Then you release me and your hands come to the sides of my face and lift it to yours to kiss me. The kiss I have waited and wished for with all my soul since the day you left me. Your tongue presses into my mouth in search of mine, and I answer it eagerly. As we melt together I realise it is three years to the day since that time we made love in our garden back in London, the day you told me you would be leaving for America.


	7. The Long Awaited Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Succubus explains her plan

We shower. Not together, as I would have liked. There is still too much between us to be so easy together. You give me one of your shirts to wear. My own clothes are beyond repair.

We talk for an hour and I think I have finally convinced you that you are not to blame for any of this. You hold on to me as though you are frightened to let me go. Your hand moves to stroke the slight darkening patch on my cheek where the blow connected.

'Angel, you know what I was when we met. I have walked the Earth for more than four thousand years. I am a child compared to some of my sisters, but I have known many men and many lives. I am not a stranger to violence. I have been a warrior and a slave. And you know enough about my kind to know that you had no defence against them. They had you brainwashed. I know you. I know your soul, have known it from our first touch. Why do you think I fell in love with you? You are a good man. Never think that I would think less of you for falling prey to them.'

'Did you know what I was doing? With them?' Your voice is low, quiet.

'I did.' I wrap my arms tighter around you. 'They made me watch once. They knew that it would keep me under control to know they could hurt you if I ever stepped out of line.'

You face darkens with anger and shame. Your hand strokes my hair.

But there is more I need to say.

'Angel, you need to know that I am not as human as I was. I know we thought I had become human, but I have learned it is not so simple. My love for you means I cannot drain you, but away from your influence I have had to survive as a succubus.'

You are silent.

'Do you understand what I mean? I have taken men, used them for sustenance. Many over these last three years. I have not taken a life - our love has left me with enough humanity to be able to leave them without any imprinting on my side.'

You are still quiet, thoughtful.

'Angel? Please look at me - can you forgive me?'

You step away from me and my heart plummets.

You put your hands on my shoulders.

'I understand what you are saying. I don't - can't - blame you for that. You are a Succubus, I have always known that. I know that when we were together you became more human. But I left you.' Your hand raises to my face, strokes my cheek gently.

'I am sorry I left you in that position. I was frightened of what they would do to you if I didn't abandon you. I couldn't say anything to you and didn't know what else to do.' Your voice shakes with emotion.

'I am sorry I ran away. Oh Angel, I was so sad to think you had stopped loving me. Do you love me? Can you still love me, after what my kind have put you through?'

Your smile is answer enough, but the kiss that follows makes my heart soar and my eyes prick with tears of relief.

You take my hand and lead me to the bed. Your hands are gentle on my body, your lips gentle on mine. You enter me slowly, take me with long slow strokes until my mind is utterly lost in you. My heart pounds as your breathing strains. I love the noises you make, and your moans and hot breath as you bite hard at the base of my neck send me spiralling. I quiver around you as your cock begins to pulse deep inside me. I gasp and my eyes close, but you pause.

'No,' you say. 'Open your eyes. Look at me.' I obey, my dark blue eyes meeting your light blue. As our eyes lock, my eyes and pupils grow wider and electricity and something more flies between us. I have to bite my lip to fight down my orgasm or I will come immediately. You stare into my soul.

I wrap my legs around you, feeling you slip deeper inside me. The curve of your cock and your pelvic bone grind against my aching clit. Your eyes burn as your climax gathers power, pulling me with it. My teeth clench and my breath turns to ragged gasps and cries as I lose control and my climax shudders through me in a rush of sticky fluids, driven on by your eyes. You follow moments behind, groaning out your orgasm, your hips thrusting in spasm as mine meet you and my cunt convulsively squeezes you dry. Eternity seems to pass as our bodies jerk against each other.

Hours later we lie together wrapped in each others' arms. I know we have so much still to say, and I have so much to explain, but this time is so precious to me. I know, more than you for now, that there is a chance it is the last time we will ever lie like this together.

Eventually we rise and you make tea. We sit on the bed and drink. I need to tell you the plan, but for a few minutes I want to just sit with you like this. Only a few minutes though. There is much to do.

'Angel, there are things we need to prepare. You know this is not a chance meeting. It has taken months of preparation, and your sister has worked hard to help make it happen.'

'My sister?! I did wonder why we were coming to so out of the way a place. My sister said she wanted to have me to herself for a few days. She can be very insistent when she sets her mind to something. So why are we here?'

I take a deep breath. I am not sure what your reaction will be. I decide to start at the beginning.

'We are here because of something called the Pact. I only know of it from my sister who was guarding me. Succubi and Incubi are the offspring of Djinn. Djinn have walked the Earth longer than modern humans. The Old Gods mostly left your ancient ancestors and the Djinn to their own devices. Humans changed, and the Djinn adapted. Succubi and Incubi were born.

'It seems that at some point a Succubus fell in love. She became more human. This angered the Djinn, and they wanted revenge on the man she fell in love with, but the Old Gods would not allow it.

'This seems to be where the Pact came about. As far as I have been able to find it out, the Old Gods forced the Pact on the Djinn to protect mankind under this rare occurrence.

'Once the couple are joined according to the human's accepted official custom, the Pact is triggered. The human must sign it to testify that he accepts the Succubus as his mate for all time. The Succubus' kin must sign it to bind their compliance with the law of the Old Gods.

'It is only then that the Succubus truly becomes human. The Pact protects the couple and their kin from any form of retribution.'

'And this is why we are here?'

'My Angel, when it became known to my father that we wished to marry, he became angered. My kind are dwindled in number. He did not want to lose another, and so they engineered this separation.

'If you no longer wish to marry me, tell me now and I will leave this place and never return. I will return to my kind and they will leave you alone to live your life in peace. I will make sure they never visit you again.'

I wait in silence for you to answer me. My heart pounds in the silence. Do you hear it, I wonder?

Your hand closes over mine and my heart leaps into my throat. Then your arms are round me, holding me so tight I can hardly breathe.

'My love, I can't express how sorry I am for everything. I love you as much as I ever did. Marry me. Please?'

My relief bursts from me with a gasp.

'You will never know how happy you make me, Angel. We have much to do. There is a reason we are in this particular place. To marry here we do not need to be resident or make complicated arrangements. We have to go to the Kommune office today to register in person our intent to marry. We need to take our original documents to prove there is no impediment and we are both free to do so. Then in three days time we go back to the Kommune and marry.'

'But the documents - I don't have anything like that.'

'I know. I said your sister had worked hard.' I say, smiling. 'She has organised everything you need. She sent the notice and copies of the documents for both of us a few weeks ago. It is all done apart from our personal registrations, which we have to do today.'

For a second you look slightly shell-shocked. Have I frightened you, I wonder, presenting you with a fait accompli? Have I taken you too much by surprise, made our marriage too real?

'Are you ok with this, Angel? I know it is very quick. If you have any doubt about this, say. It is your decision. You could not be involved in any of it, I am sorry. There could be no risk of them finding out what was happening. It has taken a few months to organise, and it had to be done so secretly. Talk to me, Angel.'

You take a deep breath.

'It is a surprise, I admit. I had not expected any of it. Had not expected to see you. Although your sisters had obviously planned for our meeting one day, since they had me brainwashed into wanting you dead. They even gave me a small knife, obsidian I think. They said it was the only thing that would kill you.' You pale as you say it.

I squeeze your hand, though I am shocked that my sisters appear to have planned my death at your hands anyway. They are truly vindictive, they must have been desperate for you never to put their lies to the test - hoping maybe that if we met you would turn me to dust rather than risking any intimacy. Is my love for you so much of a threat to our kind?

'You have it here? Show me?'

You go to your luggage. Reaching into your grooming set you pull out a small worked obsidian blade with a horn handle bound to it. It is tiny, only a few inches long. It looks so innocuous. But it is sharp enough to slice open my throat and turn me to dust. And I recognise it instantly - it is my own blade. No wonder I had been unable to find it when I ran. That would explain my unease that last week before you left. They had been in the house and taken it. Just like them to use my own blade against me.

I smile wryly and you look a question.

'My blade - I had it as a child.'

You look sickened.

You hug me close, realising just how deep their anger runs. You are shaking with emotion.

Are you considering your options now? Considering whether to run?

Then...

'So what is the plan? How do we do this?'

I am relieved beyond sense.

'Your sister has all the paperwork we need. She has made us an appointment at the Aabenraa Kommune on Skelbaekvej at 4pm today. We will need to leave here separately, and you will have to be - not so recognisable, just in case. You don't need a disguise, just cover yourself well, and wear a hat. It's cold enough to be wrapped up well. We complete the registration and give them the documents.'

I take a deep breath.

'There is one last thing, Angel. I need to tell you that this is extremely dangerous. If anything gets out, if they suspect, we may not survive this week. They will drain you of your life force, to them it would be a waste to do otherwise. They will make me watch. Then they will kill me. This week could be not just our last together, but our last on Earth. They are serious about this. You are food to them. I am an insult to them. My death would be a warning to others. They will make sure it is not easy. I am prepared to die, but I am frightened to lose you, and frightened of what they will do to you. And if it comes to it, I will ensure they do not have my life cheaply. I will take as many of them with me as possible.'

One last time I wait for your decision.

'I would rather fight and die with you. I am not incapable of defending myself, even against them, with your abilities and sufficient warning.'

This is what comes of your thorough preparation for your roles - you have trained in multiple martial arts and I know you would be a valuable ally in any fight. I nod in agreement.

'Then we must prepare. I will need to get back to my room and change.

'I will leave the hotel first. I will take all the documents and go straight to the Municipal buildings. I can just wait there.

'You and your sister should probably walk along the seafront.

'Angel, once we have registered there, you know I have to leave here? I will have to go back to Hamburg. My sister may not even have noticed my absence yet - she is.. otherwise occupied. And even if she returns home before me she believes me to be similarly occupied. But if I do not return she will raise the alarm. They will come for you.'

Your face falls a little and you stroke my cheek with a gentle finger. Then you pull me to you and press me to your chest, kissing the top of my head.

'I have just found you again. I am not ready to say goodbye yet. Especially knowing it could be our last meeting if things go wrong.'

My breath catches in my throat. I am similarly loath to leave you. Tears flow from me and I find myself unable to stop them.

'I know, my Angel. I do not wish to leave. But we cannot risk alerting them.

'Angel, once this is all set in motion there is no going back. If they find out, if my sister suspects.... ' I find myself unable to go on, overcome for a moment.

You kiss me, and I find such strength there.

'I have lived so many lives,' I continue.

'One way or another, this is my last. I am honored to spend it with you.'

There is no more time. In your shirt I slip back to my room. I change and cover the slight mark on my face with makeup. I go to find your sister. She has everything prepared. She gives me all the documents and I take them with me, leaving the hotel, leaving the overnight bag I came with. I booked myself in for the week. I am just another anonymous tourist.

It is less than 3km from the hotel to the Kommune office. I walk, passing the marina and the beach. I do not want to hurry. I still arrive early, and I wait nervously. I am frightened, now, that maybe you will change your mind. At five minutes to four the door opens and you are there. My relief must show on my face.

'Did you think I wouldn't come?' You smile as you take my hand.

An hour later it is done. We are registered, and I have no choice but to leave here and go back to Hamburg, back to my Succubus life. I can't fight the tears, and we stand in an alcove at the back of the waiting area while you hold me, crying nearly as much as I am.

'I don't want to leave you, Angel.'

'Then don't. We can hide until Thursday. We can stay in bed.'

'I wish we could do that. Oh God I wish we could! But it is too great a risk. If I disappear my sister will suspect and raise the alarm. We might never make to Thursday. Our survival depends on an appearance of innocence and normality.'

Your hand takes mine. Your hand is warm, the grip firm. Your other hand pushes a stray hair from my face, then rests on my cheek.

'Three days, Lyra. That's all. You go back to her, do whatever you have to do, but come back to me on Thursday.'

Whatever I have to do. I will have to make pretense of living my Succubus life for her, be seen to be coming from the apartment of the man I have there. Be seen going back to his apartment. He will not be any trouble, he is docile and harmless now. It is only for show.

And the appointment on Thursday is for nine a.m. which means I can get the same train I took this morning, come straight to the Kommune, and it will be done before anyone knows. I pray that it will work like that.

I hold you for one last time. My heart is in my mouth. What if it is truly for one last time? What if we never meet again? I look into your eyes, and there is that link again. The joining of two souls is not constrained by time or space, by man's rules or God's. It is greater than all those things. We are joined for all time, you and I, and no one can separate us, no matter what.

'Angel. My sweet, beautiful man. My Thomas. If this fails we may never be able to touch each other again. I need you to know that my time with you has been the shining light of my time on Earth. You know I have renounced immortality for you. I need you to know that, whatever happens now, I will never regret that decision. You are worth a thousand universes, worth more to me than kin or life. If I had to make that choice again I would. I will always be grateful to whatever brought me to you. Whatever happens, we are joined and can never be parted. My heart, my soul, are yours. I love you.'

You press my hand to your lips. You hold on to me and I can feel the change in your breathing. I know you cannot speak, so I kiss you gently. A tear falls from beneath your closed lids and my heart breaks.

There is no more to be done, no more to be said. I walk out of the door, walk to the station and catch the first train back to Hamburg.


End file.
